Have you made your resolutions for the year? If you haven’t, here’s a cheat sheet you may want to use. I don’t mean to go all preachy on y’all, just sharing what has worked (and is still working) for me. Feel free to click on the texts in blue – they are linked to other posts which will provide context.
Hair
- Your hair is part of you. Treat it right. Don’t give precedence to weaves, add-ons and extensions. What I mean by this is that you should challenge some of the things that seem normale.g.
- Applying relaxer to a small section of your hair or dying it just so that your weave looks nice.
- Allowing your hair braider pre-dispose you to traction alopecia (by overweighting your hair with add-ons or braiding too tight) because you want your braids to be popping!
- If you have natural hair, Moisture! Moisture!! Moisture!!! I can’t say that enough.
- If your hair is relaxed, consider spacing out your touch-ups. The benefits speak for themselves.
Health
- Drink enough water per day. It helps with everything. Your bodily functions, your skin, your hair…everything. Here’s a guide that will help you know via your urine when you are dehydrated. Yep, I said the U word! 😆
- Eat your greens and fruits. Introduce a splash of color into your diet (carrots, tomatoes, green leaves). The brown of baked goods and most processed foods isn’t a splash of color.
- Try the green smoothie at least once. It is not expensive and the benefits are amazing.
Skin
- Try to lay less emphasis on topical applications of creams and products. Instead, nourish your skin from the inside. Products should support your effort. They shouldn’t be your only effort.
- Learn to read ingredient labels. It makes you a more discerning customer and eventually saves you money.
- Remember that there are no magic potions. No silver bullets. You won’t be disappointed if you bear this in mind.
Self and others
- Love yourself. Really. No matter what is going on, give yourself a break.
- Do amazing things for others. Help someone with a heavy load, speak up when things just aren’t right, volunteer at a school. Just smile at someone.
- Challenge status quo.
- Read. You will discover many wonderful things.
- Live consciously. My cousin said this to me in May 2011 and it completely changed the way I looked at things. I leave it up to you to interpret for yourself.
Natural
- Consider being even more natural than you are now. Baby steps will lead to taking leaps one day.
Nigerian
- Preserve your culture. It is a beautiful thing.
- See Nigeria. I went on a road trip last year with a few friends….I would definitely do it again.
- My fellow Nigerians, I make a conscious effort not to talk about Nigeria’s problems and politics on this blog (you know there is no stopping us when we start). I will say this though…pray for Nigeria. Y’all know she needs it.
Now this is the most important of all….if you do nothing else, I highly recommend you do this: “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Be peaceful.